Our journey begins as we set out for the Everglades, discussing the “River of Grass” along the way. We’ll explore this unique ecosystem from the perspective of those who have made their home there for generations, the Miccosukee Indians. We’ll tour the Indian Village and learn how the Indians of the Everglades live. While air-boating, spot alligators and many bird species as we delve into the “grassy waters.” After our Everglades adventure, we’ll have lunch and depart for the Florida Keys and John Pennekamp State Park for kayaking. After a brief kayaking lesson, we will begin our journey across the bay into the mangroves, stopping along the way for our comparative study of the mangrove ecosystem. Discussions will include the importance of mangroves both to humans and a diverse array of wildlife, from the fish and invertebrates to the birds we observe flying overhead. After checking into our hotel, we will enjoy an afternoon swim before dinner. Following dinner, instructors will give students a Coral Ecology and Fish ID presentation to prepare them for snorkeling the next day. Lastly, the group will gaze at the stars during an astronomy lesson before heading to our rooms for our next day’s adventure.

Following breakfast, we’ll depart and follow the path of Henry Flagler’s railroad for the Middle Keys and head toward the world famous Robbie’s Marina. While driving south, instructors will point out the historical significance of the Florida Keys as students gaze out over the aqua blue waters. Once at Robbie’s Marina, we will feed the giant Tarpon that peacefully swim around the docks waiting for a snack. Once the fish are fed, students will have a brief opportunity to browse through the open-air shops surrounding the marina. Next, we will head back north for an afternoon of snorkeling in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Students will get fitted for snorkel gear and have lunch before boarding the snorkel boat. The boat will take the group approximately 3-5 miles out to the Marine Sanctuary. Once on the reef, we will spend the next 1 1/2 hours discovering the dynamics of coral reef ecology. Check out the infinite variety of marine life, including gently waving sea fans and colorful corals! Dive down and get a closer look at the Queen Angelfish and Parrot Fish as they protect their home. Return from snorkeling, rinse and change, before we head north for school.

Florida State Standards following Grades 4-12

Students will:

learn the importance of recording data in a field journal, with an emphasis on using their own powers of scientific observation while working in a group comparing and contrasting data collected

SC.5.N.1.1 Define a problem, use appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigations of various types such as: systematic observations, experiments requiring the identification of variables, collecting and organizing data, interpreting data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.5.N.1.6 Recognize and explain the difference between personal opinion/interpretation and verified observation.

SC.5.N.2.1 Recognize and explain that science is grounded in empirical observations that are testable; explanation must always be linked with evidence.

SC.6.N.1.1 Define a problem from the sixth grade curriculum, use appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigation of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.6.N.1.4 Discuss, compare, and negotiate methods used, results obtained, and explanations among groups of students conducting the same investigation.

SC.7.N.1.1 Define a problem from the seventh grade curriculum, use appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigation of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.7.N.1.6 Explain that empirical evidence is the cumulative body of observations of a natural phenomenon on which scientific explanations are based.

SC.8.N.1.1 Define a problem from the eighth grade curriculum using appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigations of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.8.N.1.6 Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant empirical evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations and models to make sense of the collected evidence.

SC.8.N.1.3 Use phrases such as “results support” or “fail to support” in science, understanding that science does not offer conclusive ‘proof’ of a knowledge claim.

SC.8.N.1.4 Explain how hypotheses are valuable if they lead to further investigations, even if they turn out not to be supported by the data.

SS.8.G.6.2 Illustrate places and events in U.S. history through the use of narratives and graphic representations.

SC.912.N.1.3 Recognize that the strength or usefulness of a scientific claim is evaluated through scientific argumentation, which depends on critical and logical thinking, and the active consideration of alternative scientific explanations to explain the data presented.

SC.912.N.1.6 Describe how scientific inferences are drawn from scientific observations and provide examples from the content being studied.

SC.912.N.2.4 Explain that scientific knowledge is both durable and robust and open to change. Scientific knowledge can change because it is often examined and re-examined by new investigations and scientific argumentation. Because of these frequent examinations, scientific knowledge becomes stronger, leading to its durability.

understand how Native Americans and early European settlers were able to utilize Florida’s unique barrier island systems throughout history

SC.6.N.2.3 Recognize that scientists who make contributions to scientific knowledge come from all kinds of backgrounds and possess varied talents, interests, and goals.

SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites.

SS.5.A.2.3 Compare cultural aspects of Native American tribes from different geographic regions of North America including but not limited to clothing, shelter, food, major beliefs and practices, music, art, and interactions with the environment.

SS.5.A.3.3 Describe interactions among Native Americans, Africans, English, French, Dutch, and Spanish for control of North America.

SS.5.A.4.1 Identify the economic, political and socio-cultural motivation for colonial settlement.

SS.5.E.2.1 Recognize the positive and negative effects of voluntary trade among Native Americans, European explorers, and colonists.

SS.6.G.2.6 Explain the concept of cultural diffusion, and identify the influences of different ancient cultures on one another.

SS.6.G.4.1 Explain how family and ethnic relationships influenced ancient cultures.

SS.7.G.2.3 Explain how major physical characteristics, natural resources, climate, and absolute and relative location have influenced settlement, economies, and inter-governmental relations in North America.

SS.8.A.2.5 Discuss the impact of colonial settlement on Native American populations.

understand how the culture and dynamic history of Key West has been shaped historically through trade, settlement and other factors

SS.5.A.2.3 Compare cultural aspects of Native American tribes from different geographic regions of North America including but not limited to clothing, shelter, food, major beliefs and practices, music, art, and interactions with the environment.

SS.5.A.3.3 Describe interactions among Native Americans, Africans, English, French, Dutch, and Spanish for control of North America.

SS.5.A.4.1 Identify the economic, political and socio-cultural motivation for colonial settlement.

SS.5.E.2.1 Recognize the positive and negative effects of voluntary trade among Native Americans, European explorers, and colonists.

SS.6.G.2.6 Explain the concept of cultural diffusion, and identify the influences of different ancient cultures on one another.

SS.6.G.4.1 Explain how family and ethnic relationships influenced ancient cultures.

SS.7.G.2.3 Explain how major physical characteristics, natural resources, climate, and absolute and relative location have influenced settlement, economies, and inter-governmental relations in North America.

SS.8.A.2.5 Discuss the impact of colonial settlement on Native American populations.

understand the concept that the presence of certain trees are an indication of events that are occurring, noting that they have adaptations that allow them to live in certain areas, with a focus on the salt-water adaptations of the mangroves

SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web.

SC.7.L.17.2 Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism.

SC.8.L.18.1 Describe and investigate the process of photosynthesis, such as the roles of light, carbon dioxide, water and chlorophyll; production of food; release of oxygen.

SC.912.L.14.8 Explain alternation of generations in plants.

SC.912.L.14.10 Discuss the relationship between the evolution of land plants and their anatomy.

SC.912.L.17.2 Explain the general distribution of life in aquatic systems as a function of chemistry, geography, light, depth, salinity, and temperature.

SC.912.L.17.9 Use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers. Explain the pathway of energy transfer through trophic levels and the reduction of available energy at successive trophic levels.

understand the predictability and logistics behind the KLOE system, with a focus on the Everglades as a natural and interrupted ecosystem

SC.7.E.6.6 Identify the impact that humans have had on Earth, such as deforestation, urbanization, desertification, erosion, air and water quality, changing the flow of water.

SC.8.N.4.1 Explain that science is one of the processes that can be used to inform decision making at the community, state, national, and international levels.

SS.8.G.5.2 Describe the impact of human modifications on the physical environment and ecosystems of the United States throughout history.

SC.912.L.17.19 Describe how different natural resources are produced and how their rates of use and renewal limit availability.

SC.912.L.17.20 Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability.

SS.912.G.5.6 Analyze case studies to predict how a change to an environmental factor can affect an ecosystem.

understand the significance of human actions, including their own, in the protection of natural resources such as water and its pollution and redirection in the Everglades area

SS.5.C.2.5 Identify ways good citizens go beyond basic civic and political responsibilities to improve government and society.

SS.6.G.3.2 Analyze the impact of human populations on the ancient world’s ecosystems.

SC.912.L.17.18 Describe how human population size and resource use relate to environmental quality.

SS.912.C.2.4 Evaluate, take, and defend positions on issues that cause the government to balance the interests of individuals with the public good.

SS.912.C.2.8 Analyze the impact of citizen participation as a means of achieving political and social change.

SS.912.G.2.5 Use geographic terms and tools to analyze case studies of debates over how human actions modify a selected region.

SS.912.G.3.3 Use geographic terms and tools to explain differing perspectives on the use of renewable and non-renewable resources in Florida, the United States, and the world.

SS.912.G.5.2 Analyze case studies of how changes in the physical environment of a place can increase or diminish its capacity to support human activity.

SS.912.G.5.4 Analyze case studies of how humans impact the diversity and productivity of ecosystems.

understand that organisms both within and between ecosystems are interconnected through examination of Everglades, mangrove estuary and ocean systems, with emphasis on the human element in these systems

SC.5.L.15.1 Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations.

SC.5.N.2.1 Recognize and explain that science is grounded in empirical observations that are testable; explanation must always be linked with evidence.

SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites.

SC.7.N.2.1 Identify an instance from the history of science in which scientific knowledge has changed when new evidence or new interpretations are encountered.

SS.5.G.3.1 Describe the impact that past natural events have had on human and physical environments in the United States through 1850.

SS.6.G.3.2 Analyze the impact of human populations on the ancient world’s ecosystems.

SC.912.L.17.8 Recognize the consequences of the losses of biodiversity due to catastrophic events, climate changes, human activity, and the introduction of invasive, non-native species.

understand the basics of astronomy including the changes that occur in the organization of the solar system seasonally

SC.8.E.5.1 Recognize that there are enormous distances between objects in space and apply our knowledge of light and space travel to understand this distance.

SC.8.E.5.2 Recognize that the universe contains many billions of galaxies and that each galaxy contains many billions of stars.

SC.8.E.5.3 Distinguish the hierarchical relationships between planets and other astronomical bodies relative to solar system, galaxy, and universe, including distance, size, and composition.

SC.8.E.5.10 Assess how technology is essential to science for such purposes as access to outer space and other remote locations, sample collection, measurement, data collection and storage, computation, and communication of information.